“We’re trying to play better,” Babcock explained. “Things weren’t going good. I wanted Holmstrom in the game, and I wanted (Patrick) Eaves in the game, and I didn’t think they were good linemates, so I have to move some stuff around and I needed a centre. I don’t if it’s the best thing for Abby, but it’s the best thing for our team.”

While Babcock believes centre is Abdelkader’s natural position, he’s played him on the wing to get him into the game more frequently. “He’s a centre iceman,” Babcock said. “The only reason he hasn’t (played there) is because I wanted to get him more minutes. He wasn’t getting the minutes I thought he deserved as a player. I think he deserves top nine minutes. Even tonight, just because he’s centering the fourth line, that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to get minutes.”

Wings defenceman Mike Commodore (knee injury) is ready to play, but won’t be in the lineup Friday. Forwards Fabian Brunnstrom and Cory Emmerton will be the other healthy scratches for Detroit. “Commodore’s been declared healthy,” Babcock said. “Now he’s going to have to win a spot in the lineup. The first step is getting healthy. Now he’s got to take someone’s job.”

Detroit forward Henrik Zetterberg has 5-3-8 totals in his last eight games against the Sharks. Zetterberg recorded his 200th career NHL point Jan. 4, 2008 against San Jose . . . Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom recorded his first NHL point with a goal Nov. 15, 1996 against San Jose . . . Sharks forward Ben Ferriero is from Essex . . . Essex, Mass., that is . . . Sharks captain Joe Thornton is one of 50 players in NHL history to record 700 assists . . . Among active NHL players, only Calgary’s Jarome Iginla, with 12, has a longer run of consecutive 20-goal seasons than Thornton (11) . . . Former Windsor Spitfire Todd Gill, who coached the Kingston Frontenacs to victory over the Spitfires Thursday at the WFCU Centre, was captain of the Sharks from 1996-98 . . . Former Wings assistant coach Todd McLellan is 6-6 against Detroit since taking over as head coach of San Jose. Prior to McLellan’s arrival, the Sharks won 16 of 63 regular-season games versus the Red Wings.

]]>http://windsorstar.com/sports/hockey/wings-shift-abdelkader-to-centre-for-sharks-game/feed0Justin Abdelkader is seen in this file photo. (Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press/MCT)winstarduff